


as i wait for you

by wigglycrow



Category: Original Work
Genre: First Meetings, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:47:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24094567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wigglycrow/pseuds/wigglycrow
Summary: From the moment he was born, nothing has ever gone wrong for Daniel. He's always been in perfect balance with the world and everyone else around him. For once though, he's forced to face feelings and thoughts he'd never faced before, all because he wanted to flirt with one guy.
Relationships: Aadav Mishra/Daniel Cárdenas, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

As a kid, Daniel had a knack for drawing attention towards himself. It was a trait that persisted all throughout his years in school. Whether it was the rambunctious child in elementary school; the four year talent show winner in middle school; or the star soloist at his graduation ceremony, Daniel had always gotten attention.

It was something he'd never been without. He thrived off of the attention he got from the people around him. His family, his teachers, and his peers. Daniel had found his place in the center of everyone's lives. 

So, it wasn't much of a surprise when Daniel had begun showing an intense passion for music at a young age. Not only was he vocal about being a star, he also came from a long line of musicians. It was in their blood; they were all destined to be in the music industry. Never once did Daniel disagree to his predetermined life.

Since the day he was born, his fate had been sealed. It had been engraved into his head from the moment he could properly think. He'd make it big and become a famous musician to uphold their family's tradition. 

Starting his prepubescent years, he would begin joining bands every year until he found one that stuck. Not many things _did_ stick, however, so Daniel's never-ending search would continue for _years_ until he had an epiphany a week before graduating high school.

He had been lying in his then-boyfriend's bed, listening to him play a song he'd heard a million times before. It hit him then: why was he wasting his time attending local shows and workshops when the perfect band mate was _right there_?

Interrupting the melancholic guitar chords that resounded throughout the room, Daniel shot up out of bed. _"Jacob, let's start a band together."_

Jacob's response to that was to roll his eyes and kiss him.

Finding other members wasn't as hard as Daniel had once envisioned. Jacob's older brother, Christian, was eager to join them both. Christian had a lack of musical knowledge and was in school for business at the time. Jacob hadn't been on board initially, but Christian was passionate about learning. Daniel had ended up getting the final say, as he usually did. Christian dropped out of school, begged his roommate from University to join them and that was the end of it.

Starting a fanbase was not too difficult when Daniel had made dozens of connections and met all sorts of people on a weekly basis. Yet, it still was not enough for them to really get started. Despite all their shortcomings, in under a year, they had managed to gain a fanbase. A fanbase made up of all of Daniel's acquaintances and friends throughout the years and... drunk, old men. Daniel found he didn't mind the drunken older men, as they had the right energy and vibes each time they performed. It was only when they got too uncontrollable during a show that Daniel ever really had a problem—not that that was a common occurrence either.

It was all of those series of events in his life that led him to where he was in that moment. In the backseat of Christian's car, tossing a handheld microphone back and forth in his hands. They're heading to their last performance of the night, to a shady bar in downtown Los Angeles. As per usual, they're running late and Jacob is _angry_. 

Not that it's much of a surprise for Jacob to be mad in the first place. For once though, Daniel is at least a little bit respectful of Jacob's insistence for Daniel to "shut the fuck up". Closing his eyes, Daniel begins to listen to the voices in the front seat. They're talking about the band, the nitty gritty details that Daniel just doesn't care about. It isn't his job to care about the things that don't interest him. He briefly considers taking a nap, before realizing that with the way Jacob's voice gets less and less irritating, they're probably just about to arrive.

As if on cue, Daniel feels the car come to a slow stop. Oh, fucking _finally_. Daniel's eyes snap open and he tosses the microphone to the side. Once the car stops entirely, Daniel is the first one who opens the car door, stepping out. 

"The ride here was shit." Daniel says, turning to face Christian when Christian's feet land on the ground besides him.

Christian stretches. "You think J would stop being so annoying after—" his back cracks, "—every fuckin' ride." Daniel laughs at this, shaking his head.

"Yeah fuckin' right, lmao." He knows Jacob and Jr., the last member of their band, will need help with getting equipment out of the car. He doesn't make any efforts to move. "It's a shame whining isn't a career, 'cus it's about the only thing he's great at." Daniel sneers. It's a joke, of course. Jacob is just about the most talented person he's ever met.

Not that it stops him from joking around. It's not like Jacob is ever leaving his side. 

"You ready, Danny?" Christian asks, reeling Daniel's thoughts back to the performance tonight.

Daniel rolls his eyes and places his hands on his hips. "Who do you think I am? Duh." Christian lets out an amused chuckle, but before he can continue their conversation, a voice cuts through them both:

"If you're not going to help get shit out of the car, then go fucking _check in._ We just _barely_ fucking made it." Daniel almost forgot about Jacob's pissy mood. He looks over to see Jacob and Jr. unloading the equipment from the trunk. Daniel makes a face and feels the sudden need to remind Jacob that it had been because of Jacob _himself_ that they are arriving late. 

Before he can decide to spit out the words, Christian gives him a light shove towards the back entrance of the bar. Daniel decides he'll leave him alone for now. Jacob is plenty annoying tonight already.

"You've got your ID?" Daniel asks as they walk side by side. Christian nods and fishes a hand into his jacket to pull out his wallet. 

"Yup. Right here, Don't think they'll give much of a shit, though." Daniel gives him a puzzled look. Christian hesitates for a second. "They didn't seem to care too much that you 'n J were under the legal drinking age." Christian says, stopping by the backdoor. Daniel clicks his tongue, nodding his head as he places a hand on the backdoor's handle.

For all the flak Jacob gives him, Christian's plenty responsible. He's in charge of all the bookings and the official managing of their group. Daniel's certain they'd be at a way different point in the band if it weren't for him. 

Opening the door, Daniel's just a bit surprised that there really is no one waiting for them back here. He holds it open as Christian heads in. Once inside, he lets go of the door to take in the scenery in front of him. 

It's dusty as hell and it smells like shit. It's just a boring hallway, from the looks of it. There's a door up ahead, but Daniel takes a moment to look around before he follows Christian through it. He sticks out his tongue in disgust as he uses a finger to brush against a low table. The table must've been white before it had been abandoned back here. His finger comes up in pure dirt and he quickly shakes it off using his thumb. Eugh. 

Making his way to the door, he pokes his head out. He spots a stage up ahead. "Guess we'll be setting up there." Daniel hums, kicking a dirty cigarette that's been tossed down on the floor. Christian is already up ahead.

"Stay here and open the door for Jr. and J, 'kay? I'll go check us in and see what the deal for tonight is." Christian says, speaking to him from over his shoulder. He heads around the stage and then he's out of sight.

...It takes Daniel about five seconds before he gets bored waiting. He's never been one to stay put, and quite frankly, he's amused that Christian even has faith in him to not explore. Daniel moves away from the hall and immediately heads to the stage.

He climbs to the center of the stage, thumping his foot against the flooring, as he gets a feel for the bar's vibes. The first thing he ends up noticing is the _smell_. Despite finding the smell very unfavorable, he gets a big whiff of the air. Yep. Sweat and booze. The next thing he notices is Christian's ass.

No, really.

He thanks every higher being above that he managed to persuade Christian to wear leather tonight, because wow, did they do his ass justice. 

Besides this, Daniel's interest in the bar itself is lost to the magic of the stage and the people. The stage is a lot smaller than he had anticipated, so he frames the stage with his hands. If he lessens his movements, he can make this performance feel less awkward with a small stage like this. He spins around now to take a look at the crowd of people tonight, to see what he'll be working with. Daniel finds comfort in meeting new people and being able to learn more about them.

Daniel inspects the people as they walk past, hands on his hips. It's pretty standard. He recognizes some faces he's seen before and some entirely new folks who seem to be looking at him with interest. He winks at all of them, sending them a cheeky smile with a blowing kiss. As he goes around the room, someone catches his eye from his peripheral vision. From besides the stage, Daniel turns and spots—oh, _wow_.

A man sticks out, in a completely different way than Christian and him do, he's _beautiful_. He's big, tall and has an imposing aura to him. He’s got dark skin with black, unruly hair. He has a handsome face, with high cheekbones and a nice jawline. But what captures Daniel's attention the most are his _eyes_. Daniel feels himself hold his breath, watching the man walk _directly_ past him.

The rest of the patrons have looked at Daniel, but this man doesn't even spare him a passing glance. _How?_ Daniel finds himself wishing those eyes would gaze at him.

Daniel's eyes follow him as he walks away from him, brain racking for the perfect opportunity to approach him. He watches the man in question sit down on a bar stool next to... Oh, huh? He sits next to a regular of his, a man who's been showing up to their shows more often.

Daniel takes two steps forward, already coming up with a foolproof plan on how to get the man to speak to him using their regular when—he's yanked backwards. Daniel stumbles back, face twisting into something of vague exasperation. He looks behind his shoulder and is met face to chest with a tall, irritated emo boy. Whoops! 

"Heya, sexy. Can ya let go? I've got something I gotta do." Daniel blurts out, writhing in Jacob's grasp. Jacob looks like he's ready to pop a vein. Daniel has _no_ idea why.

"If it's not an apology or you helping us set up, I don't _care_ , Daniel." Oh. Yeah.

Daniel frowns. "You don't get it, c'mon." He wiggles around again. Jacob is not having it. "I have to talk to the cute boy over there. I've literally never seen anyone as—" Jacob interjects:

 _"If you finish that fucking sentence I'll beat the shit out of you backstage."_

Daniel's eyes go wide in mock surprise. "Jacob, pleaaaase? Please, please? You know you want to." There's a little voice in the back of his head telling him he needs to drop it before Jacob's wrath becomes too much to handle. Daniel just wants to see how far he can push him right now. 

"Daniel, cut the shit. We have a show to set up. Don't even fucking think about doing anything else. I'm _serious_." Daniel can't do much to retaliate, because Jacob has a grip so tight on him it's a miracle his shirt hasn't ripped from the pure strength of it. Daniel rolls his eyes and when he turns to beg Jr. for a chance to be let off the stage, he know's he's lost. Jr. shakes his head at him, looking vaguely bothered as he sets up the rest of the equipment in the back. Daniel sighs and reluctantly lets himself be dragged.

—

"Daniel, _holy shit_." 

The performance is over. Daniel’s back in that little hallway, leaning against that dusty table from earlier. He’s wheezing, running a hand through thin curls. Jacob’s there with him, arms crossed.

“Yeah?” Daniel breathes out, regaining his breath.

“Are you fucking okay?” 

Daniel is taken aback by the statement, but he doesn’t let it show on his face. He smiles cheekily despite the fact that he’s still struggling to breathe correctly. He’s not even sure why Jacob’s asking... he thinks he did great. 

“Yeah, a little too great. I thought you’d pass out on stage.” Oops. Guess he said it aloud. Daniel uses the towel Christian handed him before he came back here to wipe the sweat off his face. 

“Mhmm. I’m fine tho, chill.” He begins wrapping the towel around his hair, squeezing the sweat off it. Jacob takes a step back, rolling his eyes. 

“I’m looking out for you, shit head. I’m glad you’re putting in more effort towards the band.” Jacob says, uncrossing his arms to hand Daniel his water bottle. He’s smiling, looking fond and gentle. Daniel begins to feel queasy. He takes the water bottle. 

“Mm, yup, I’ll do anything to get a cute boy to look at me, you know this.” He winks. It’s not a exactly a _lie_... He sees Jacob’s face morph into surprise, then anger. For a second, Daniel only sees red in his eyes. 

“Are you ever going to stop doing this shit?” Jacob’s voice rises uncomfortably high. Daniel doesn’t react with anything but an obnoxious grin. “What do ya mean?” 

“You know exactly what I mean. You keep... _doing_ this bullshit—“ Jacob’s running a hand through thick purple hair. 

Daniel resumes wiping his sweat away, now working at his pits. He lets Jacob continue, staring up at him with a vague look of interest.

“Daniel, are you _listening_? Stop fucking... just stop fucking _flirting_ with every guy you see!” Ooh. Daniel looks back down at the floor as he continues to wipe himself off. 

Daniel thinks if he didn’t know any better, Jacob’s words would sound a lot like jealousy. ...Still, Daniel’s never been one to keep his mouth shut. He looks up at Jacob now, a coy smile on his face. “Mm, yeah? You jealous?” 

Jacob is _not_ having it tonight. “I’d like you to put in more effort into the band not just cause you want some fucking guy to look at you!” He shouts now, flailing both arms up. Daniel watches him, some kind of glint in his eyes. 

Daniel knows he shouldn’t, but he presses forward. “Whatever helps the band, yeah? Besides, it shouldn’t matter to you.” He taunts. He knows what Jacob’s words are leading to.

“What the—what’s your fucking issue here? You’re not even looking for anything serious.” He’s trying not to let bitterness seep into his voice, yet Daniel recognizes it anyway. He watches Jacob clench and unclench his fist. 

“...Naw, I’m not.” He smiles now, bringing the towel in his arms to his side. “Don’t think anyone will ever catch my interest like that. You know this.” The words are full of feelings better left unspoken of.

He continues before Jacob opens his mouth again, “I like meeting people, making them feel nice. Flirting’s fun. And it helps the band... so I don’t see your problem here.”

Jacob stares at Daniel, like he isn’t sure what to say to this. He opens his mouth... then closes it. It seems he’s at a loss for words. He shakes his head. “Forget it. We’re talking about this later.” He mumbles. Daniel feels something strange poke at him. He ignores it to smile instead, placing a hand on his hip and the sweaty towel in Jacob’s hands. 

“Yeah. We’ll talk later.” Daniel says, lying through his teeth. He pats Jacob on the back as he saunters out. 

...Once he’s out of that dusty hall, it’s like a switch has been flipped. His eyes scan the room, taking in the crowd of people.

He sees Jr. down at the bar, chatting with the bartender. Christian is talking to some people: some of their regulars. Daniel recognizes one of the people Christian’s talking to, as the regular who the cute guy from earlier sat next to. His head immediately whips back to the last place he saw the guy and— _there_.

The guy isn’t very hard to spot, sitting properly with his back towards Daniel. Daniel thanks whatever might be watching over him that he’s alone in this moment. He walks over.

Daniel slides into the seat right besides him, turning his body to face him. He spreads his arms on the table like he owns the place and opens his mouth to greet the guy: 

“Heya.”

The guy looks visibly startled, but he doesn’t move an inch. He’s staring down at a glass in front of him, full of nothing but slowly melting ice cubes.

Daniel begins to wonder _why_ he hasn’t looked at him. Daniel’s performance tonight was to get this guy’s attention, yet he never saw him look up _once_.

Daniel folds his arms on the table. “Anyone home?” He jokes, keeping the mood light. Daniel can’t read him at first glance, so he works with the skills he knows best.

The guy _does_ react to Daniel’s words now, glancing away from the half melted ice cubes to finally— _finally_ look at Daniel. 

Daniel damn near melts at his eyes. They’re gorgeous; unsettlingly intense. They make eye contact for a brief moment before the guy closes himself off, turning his head away again. Daniel sees him hesitate for a split second, so he takes it and rolls with it. 

“I won’t bite, big guy. You don’t have to worry.” Daniel says, leaning further against the table as he speaks. He wonders if maybe this guy _can’t_ actually speak. Before he lets his mind wander, though—

“...Why are you speaking to me?” 

Oh. Oh _wow_. What a pretty voice; like the sound of sweet, thick honey. The voice nor the words are what he expected, but despite this, Daniel is pleasantly in awe. He thinks he wants to hear him speak some more.

“No reason... except,” he smiles, “I can never resist the opportunity to talk to a cute guy.” His hand reaches up to rest against his own cheek. His heads tilts to the side, watching him with a curious gaze. The guy visibly tenses... his face is in a state of confusion. Like he’s not built for a situation like this.

"I do not want to speak to you." He stammers out, still looking down. Daniel hears something shaky in his voice. He decides to push again to hear it.

“Mm? Any reason for that?” What about him is putting him off? Daniel wonders if he smells. Probably.

The guy stays silent. Daniel’s not sure how long it is until he speaks up again. 

“No.” 

Okay. Well. Daniel drums his fingertips against the wood beneath him. The way this guy speaks is cute. Matter-of-fact, with a clear tone and a sickeningly sweet drawl to his words. Cute. 

“Then I can do most of the talking, yeah? You can listen.” He tests. The guy looks at him briefly, but when their eyes meet again, he looks away. 

“...Okay.” He says quietly. Daniel internally cheers, sitting up further in his seat. 

“Yeah? Nice.” His eyes twinkle. “I’m Daniel Cárdenas. I was just performing.” Daniel sees the way the guy reacts ever so slightly to the mention of his name. He beams.

“Our band’s name is Mourning Dove. I’m the lead singer. We’re still kinda new to this shit, but we’re getting by pretty alright.” His voice settles into something a little more fond. He clears his throat.

“You were listening, right? What’d ya think?” The guy’s face barely moves an inch. He mumbles something.

“What was that?” Daniel asks, pressing both elbows against the table.

“...You said you would do the talking.” 

Daniel’s response to that is to stare at him, eyes wide. _Was he for real?_ Daniel lets out a quiet laugh, genuine shock laced within his tone. This is not at all what he was expecting.

“Y–You’re not entirely wrong,” he shakes his head, “though I did say I’d do _most_ of the talking.” He points out, leaning back in his seat. 

The guy looks embarrassed now, looking away. “Mm.” 

“God, you’re cute.” Daniel says, grin stretching wide on his face. “Did ya like it then?” 

The guy looks like he’s going through all stages of grief at Daniel’s words. It takes him a while to decide how to answer, finally settling on a curt nod. Daniel counts this as a win. 

“Fuck yeah!” He kicks his leg in enthusiasm. It’s a simple nod, but Daniel feels like he’s won the lottery. He looks right at him with big eyes.

“That means I’ll be seeing more of you?” Daniel asks, hopeful.

The guy looks hesitant. “Um.” 

Daniel gives him a smile and drops it. He’s sure he can change his opinion by the end of the night. He presses a hand to his cheek again. 

“What’s your name though? You can tell me that right?” 

Surprising Daniel, instantly the guy shakes his head no. Daniel furrows his eyebrows. “You don’t wanna tell me?” 

More hesitation. Daniel wonders what this guy’s deal is and why he’s reluctant to share any personal info. 

“I can’t.” He finally says. Daniel tries to search his face, but he can’t find anything.

Daniel hums. “Sure you can. I’m not going to tell anyone ‘n it’s just so I can stop referring to you as the 'cute guy' in my head.” He beams up at him. 

Loss for words again, the _cute_ guy takes a long time to answer again. Daniel finds it cute, so he doesn’t really mind. He wonders what kind of life this guy must be living. When he opens his mouth, Daniel finds himself leaning forward in anticipation. 

“M...Mishra—“ 

“Aadav!” 

A voice interjects from behind them both. Daniel jumps in his seat; the magic of the moment being lost to the same regular from earlier. He looks at the cute guy— _Mishra_ —and gapes at him for a moment. 

His face has become still. Something about his face is so carefully neutral and _off-putting_ , it leaves Daniel feeling strange.

The regular stands right next to Mishra now, turning to stare at Daniel with a face of displeasure, before his face twists into surprise. 

“Daniel?” 

Daniel’s face forms another sly smile, leaning against his chair. “The one and only, baby.” He curls his hair between his fingers. 

The regular of his looks ecstatic; looking down between him and Mishra. “You were talking to Aadav here?”

Huh. Aadav? He was yelling out his name? So was Mishra a fake name he’d been given? Daniel feels a little played, if he’s being honest. He crosses his arms on his chest now as he leans against his chair. 

“Mmyup. Couldn’t help it, he looked so lonely. Thought I’d keep him company.” He says cheekily. 

The regular looks pleased, now placing a hand down on Mishra’s— _Aadav’s?_ —hair. Daniel glances at him before looking up at his regular. 

“Thanks for comin’ by, I’m always seeing you at our shows recently.” Daniel begins saying, with the politeness of meeting a fan. Something is still nagging at him, though. Something about Mishra’s face. 

The regular continues to look pleased, placing a hand over his heart. “By God, if someone told me I’d be talking to you tonight, I would have instantly dolled up.” Daniel lets out a polite laugh. 

"You're plenty cute already." Daniel smiles, now pulling out his phone. "You want a pic?" 

The man looks genuinely _shocked_ , looking at Mishra then at Daniel. "Oh, you—of _course_!" He cries out. Daniel stands up and slides Mishra his phone. 

"Can you take a pic?" Mishra's hands hold the phone delicately. He does not respond when Daniel speaks to him. The nagging feeling persists as Daniel poses next to his regular, sliding an arm around his waist. The regular presses himself directly against Daniel's entire body, holding him tight. 

Daniel holds the position until Mishra nods just the slightest bit, now putting down Daniel's phone. Daniel's about to thank him, but his regular speaks up before he can: "Aadav, no one told you to put the phone down."

Mishra's face does not move or flinch, but the tone his regular uses makes a chill run down Daniel's spine. Daniel scoops up his phone in his hands. "Naw, no worries. You'll be at other shows, so we'll take plenty more together." He winks at him. 

All the edge in his tone is replaced with something more cheery and flustered. "O-Oh, yes, yes. You're right. Of course, I'll continue to support you." He has his hands over his heart again. Daniel smiles tentatively.

"What's your name? I should probably refer to you as somethin'." Daniel asks.

"Oh, Daniel," he covers his mouth, "my name is Gaeyrie." 

Daniel nods his head. ...Garry? Okay. 

"And this right here, is my partner." The gears in Daniel's head stop working when he sees Garry place two hands on Mishra's shoulders. Uh. Partner? Something about that feels wrong... Mishra's _face_ not _moving_ feels wrong. 

"Isn't that right, Aadav?" Garry begins massaging Mishra's shoulders. Daniel's staring at Mishra and he's finally figured out what feels off about him since Garry came over. Staring at Mishra's eyes makes him realize they lost the intensity and curiosity he saw in them once before. 

"Yes." Mishra's voice startles him from his own little trance. He looks up at both of them, unsure of what to say. 

"That so? What a pretty couple." He lies, leaning against the table, smiling at them both. 

"You know _just_ what to say, Daniel. Aadav could learn from you." Garry giggles, looking at Daniel with a dopey look of adoration. Daniel finds it hard to keep staring at him, so he sneaks in a glance at Mishra. Mishra is staring at his glass again.

"Mm, naw, I'm just speakin' my mind." He waves a hand, looking up at him again. "But now that we're all acquainted, I'm expecting you both at more of our shows from now on." Daniel grins.

Garry nods, looking enthralled. "Yes, we will do our best. Tonight was our first show of yours together..." The man sighs dreamily. 

Daniel pretends to look bashful as the man continues to speak. "I hadn't expected to speak to you tonight... and it's all thanks to Aadav. To think we almost left immediately after your performance!" He goes on and on. Daniel finds that he's getting bored of the conversation as Garry continues to speak. He wants to know more about Mishra... but Mishra has barely spoken. 

"...But we really should be going now. It's getting late and Aadav has work early in the morning." Garry's back to curling Mishra's hair in his hands. Daniel snaps back into the conversation. 

"Ooh, yeah? Maybe you'll tell me more about yourself when you next come." Daniel smiles at Mishra, but Mishra does not glance his way anymore. Garry steps away from them both, waiting for Mishra to rise to his feet.

When Mishra stands, he towers over Garry and Daniel both. "Well, it was fun, Daniel. Wasn't it, Aadav?" Mishra nods. Garry looks pleased, bringing a hand to scratch the underside of Mishra's chin. Daniel stands there; an uncomfortable feeling creeping up the back of his neck.

"Goodbye, Daniel." Garry says, now hooking an arm around Mishra's. "It was nice seeing you tonight." 

"Seeya both later." Daniel waves; the smile on his face getting hard to uphold. 

"Say goodbye to Daniel, Aadav." Garry says quietly. So quiet that Daniel is not sure he was supposed to hear it. Mishra turns to look at Daniel. His gaze is blank. 

"...Goodbye, Daniel."

The second they're out of sight, Daniel sinks into the chair Mishra was once in and lets out a sigh larger than life. 

He tries but he can't shake off the unsettling feeling in his stomach. There was something so strange about that entire exchange. He is not sure he's ever experienced something like this before... he folds his arms over the table once more as he stares down at the glass in front of him.

The same glass Mishra had been looking at; a half full glass of water of what used to be ice cubes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi i wrote this for myself but also for my friends! on the off-chance some1 else reads this pls follow me on twt :) @stardewdrops
> 
> anyway yeah sorry daniel is like this. fr. i'm so sorry. 
> 
> but brace urselves! youve got a big storm comin :D


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s early into March, almost an entire month later, that Daniel sees Mishra again.

It's a local festival in Los Angeles that they're performing at today. Daniel isn't sure what the festival's whole deal is, besides the fact that their booth-food is _real_ good. It's probably not something he should be having before he goes up on stage, but it's a problem for future Daniel to deal with.

It's about fifteen minutes left until they're set to perform, yet Daniel and Christian are taking their leisurely time walking back. He already knows the lecture he'll get from Jacob when he gets there, but it's not _Daniel's_ fault Jacob _insisted_ that they stay out of the way.

Not that Daniel really cares, anyway. He thinks he deserves to have some fun after having ridden in a car with three sweaty Arizona men for ten hours.

It's usually like this during festivals, Daniel thinks. Daniel and Christian fuck around for an hour before a performance, while Jacob and Jr. take care of setting everything up. Daniel doesn't mind—festivals are a perfect amalgamation of everything he loves in the world: music, people, _food._ There's something magical about them; where all sorts of people gather, and all sorts of musicians play. And, of course, the _food._ Fuck. He loves food.

Alongside the edges of the plaza they're walking through, dozens of food-booths line up in his field of vision. He's spent pretty much all afternoon in this area with Christian, trying just about everything he could get his hands on.

A kid in a Minecraft hoodie runs past, holding a red balloon as he runs away from the rest of his friends chasing him. Daniel feels a sense of nostalgia at the sight. Seeing more and more people beginning to gather on the main plaza, Daniel nudges Christian as he cuts through some booths onto a less crowded sidewalk.

Despite having already passed the food-booths now, Daniel can still smell the sweet scent of fresh barbecue lingering in the air. And though they're further away from the main crowd, Daniel can hear the voices of children and adults alike chattering from every direction.

As they near the stage, Daniel hears the faint sound of the electric violinist finishing up their performance. Daniel almost wishes he wasn't about to go up to be able to hear it go on longer. Maybe he should pick up the violin... one of the few instruments he doesn’t know how to play.

The weather is nice today, Daniel notes, eyes following a red balloon that soars up into the air. He watches as it becomes a small speck in the sky. He smiles to himself when he feels the warmth of the sun hitting his skin. California is _hot_ , but it's nothing compared to the blazing sun back home, in Arizona.

It's the perfect time right now, late into the afternoon when the sun is still out, but early enough before the cool air hits. Daniel feels entirely at peace with the world, despite knowing the brutal ass kicking he'll receive when he gets back. Besides him, Christian has been talking nonstop, gesturing to every activity that catches his eye as they walk past it.

"What do you think about the water guns later? Ohoh, we _gotta_ fuckin' try out the dunk tanks, too. ...Shit, you think J'll let us onto those inflatable slides? Pro'lly not after last time, huh? What about—" Daniel nods along, for once not being particularly chatty, on account of stuffing his mouth with food.

Daniel's on his nth meal of the hour, a slightly burnt corn dog he got before they decided to head back to the stage. It’s charred at the bottom but Daniel loves the taste of burnt food in his mouth. 

As he's taking his last few bites, he can see the stage up ahead, with Jacob talking to someone who Daniel assumes to be staff. Below the stage, people have started to crowd around. When more and more people gather, others begin to join in curiosity. Daniel's heart pounds in anticipation at the growing crowd. Everyone here to see _him._

His eyes scan over the sea of people—and that’s when Daniel sees him again.

Daniel stops dead in his tracks, choking on the final piece of his corn dog as Christian snaps out of his own ramblings. 

" _Danny_ , the fuck? You good?" He asks, immediately with a hand on Daniel's back. Daniel hasn't even noticed Christian's other hand offering him a water bottle as he hurls up the last piece of the dog. _Ew._

Recollecting himself, he shakes his head vigorously as he looks up, feelings of excitement replaced by something more unfamiliar to him. Yet, he needs to make sure it wasn't just his mind playing tricks on him. His eyes scan the crowd again.

There's no mistaking it. Mishra is _right there_ , within the crowd by the front, towering over nearly everyone in the area. There's a rush of another emotion he can't describe bubbling up inside of him. _How long has he been there? Is he alone? Does he have enough time to talk to him? No, fuck, of course not. They're scheduled in five and_ —

"Danny, what's _wrong?_ " Christian repeats himself, shaking Daniel's shoulder lightly when Daniel doesn't respond. Fortunately, it's enough for Daniel to realize where he is.

Christian's eyes follow where Daniel's looking when Daniel _still_ doesn't speak up. Though before Christian can ask once more, Daniel finally speaks.

"I saw a cute guy again." Well, it’s not like he's _lying._ Realizing Christian is still holding up his water bottle, he takes it from him and downs it in one clean gulp.

Immediately, Christian's shoulders loosen up. He looks relieved. “You're a bitch.” He slaps his back. Daniel almost falls over.

Christian's expression replaces itself with a toothy grin and Daniel feels a bit more at ease. That expression's more fitting on Christian than whatever was happening just mere moments before. Daniel doesn't dwell on it.

"Don't choke 'n die before the concert, J'll never forgive you." Christian speaks up again, directing him away from the crowd. "No flirtin' though, J will _really_ kick my ass if you go. Can't take another one today."

Daniel knows he has to go, but there's the urge pounding in his chest to speak to Mishra anyway. ...The end of the performance. He'll find him then, Daniel promises himself.

He spares one last glance at Mishra before he's pulled away.

—

"Danny, _man_."

It's been an hour since their performance ended. Daniel and Christian are sitting on a park bench, far from the festivities, under a large tree which would have shielded them from the sun had the sun been shining now. They never got to do any of the things Christian had been eager to try out. As soon as their performance ended, they'd gone around searching for the "cute guy" Daniel saw.

It was a waste of time.

Daniel doesn't want to say it, but he's _disappointed._ He looks up at the darkening sky above them. The sky is overcast and the wind has picked up significantly. Behind him, he can hear people beginning to close down their booths in the distance. Daniel thinks it might rain.

He looks up at Christian with a big smile when Christian doesn’t continue his train of thought. "Sucks you couldn't wing man for me this time."

Daniel doesn't even know what _happened_. At some point between songs, Mishra (and Garry, who was unfortunately present) had gotten up and _left_. There one moment then gone the next. Daniel doesn't know when it was—just that they were _gone_ —as if they'd never been there.

Christian shrugs. "Sucks that cute guy you saw got away." He says, biting into some cotton candy he picked up while they were searching together. Daniel would be jealous if his stomach weren't feeling so upset already.

Speaking of searching together... Daniel continues to stare at Christian as Christian struggles languidly to not get cotton candy stuck to his face. Christian isn't paying much attention to Daniel, holding onto the paper cone lazily with one hand while the other scrolls through social media on his phone. His head rests on the bench behind them.

Daniel doesn't really get why Christian bothered sticking around in the first place. Daniel never told anyone about Mishra (or Garry, for that matter). It's not anything Christian should be concerning himself with, but hey, Daniel's not complaining. He watches Christian's face light up at something on his phone, then feels his own phone vibrate mere seconds later.

Daniel drums his fingers against the benches arm rest, adjusting his seating position as he continues to stare. Christian seemed so unbothered, despite not having done anything fun after their performance. They'd done things earlier in the day, but... even _Jacob_ went off to have fun in the end. So why didn't Christian?

Daniel doesn't feel _guilty_ per se, just weird. He shouldn't think so much on it, though. It doesn't mean anything besides the fact that Christian's just a stupidly simple good guy, despite whatever Jacob might believe.

Daniel's not an idiot, of course, he isn't _ignorant_ to all of the aggressive outbursts Jacob would have back in high school because of Christian. Yet, ever since meeting Christian, Daniel can't say he's ever felt like Christian was inattentive or neglectful. He was always helping Daniel out, so maybe Jacob's fury came from some kind of miscommunication from when they were younger.

Maybe it's because they're family. It's probably that, Daniel thinks. His own younger brother acts like Jacob sometimes when he says he hates him. Admitting you care about someone when you act like _that_ was always difficult.

In all honesty, Jacob was probably too afraid to admit things had changed between them. _Especially_ since joining the same band. Jr. played a significant role in getting them onto speaking terms, so it was obvious _something_ had changed. Not like any of this was of Daniel’s concern beyond making the band _work_ , but it was food for thought. Eh, oh well.

Daniel watches Christian push away some purple hair from his eyes. After several minutes of being quietly stared at, Christian finally looks over and locks eyes with Daniel. His brow furrows, as if he's thinking real hard, until he eventually lifts up the hand holding cotton candy.

"Ya want a bite?" He asks, now shoving the treat towards him with a goofy smile. Daniel grins back at him, all his thoughts dispersing at the sound of Christian's voice. Surprising Christian and himself, though, Daniel shakes his head no at the offer without even realizing.

"Wha—for real?" Christian looks _way_ too shocked, but Daniel doesn’t blame him. He never turns down food, but... 

Now focusing on the way his stomach feels, Daniel wraps his arms around his waist. His stomach rumbles.

"I fucked up and ate way too much. My asshole is going to explode."

Christian nods thoughtfully. "Aight, yeah. Might wanna go to the shitter then."

Daniel nods, a small sigh escaping his lips. "Yeah. Stomach feels like shit."

"At least we got to spend more time together. That's not a total loss, huh?" Christian is smiling _so_ wide at him that Daniel almost wants to shield his eyes from the sheer brightness of it.

Daniel doesn't agree with Christian's statement at all, either. "'Course not!" He slaps his thighs twice before he stands. "Made it all worth it." 

He turns to Christian after stretching out his arms. “Goin' to the nearest café and taking a dump."

Christian chuckles lightly underneath his breath. "Don't get lost or anythin'—'n call me if you're gonna be late."

Daniel nods, waving a hand lazily at Christian as he starts walking away from him. "Yeah, yeah. Seeya at the hotel, Mom."

It takes about several minutes of walking before Daniel lets out another sigh. Maybe it's the gurgling of his stomach or the fact that he'd searched for an hour to no avail but—Daniel is _bummed_ out. Is he even allowed to be this disappointed over a guy he's barely spoken to? He doesn't know.

He's walking on the sidewalk, with no real destination in mind despite having told Christian otherwise. He's mulling over the day when a few pelts of water start to hit his skin. Aw, shit, _really_? 

Daniel looks up at the sky as a clap of thunder resounds throughout the city. Fuck. As soon as it happens, Daniel pushes himself into a nearby shop to avoid getting caught in the rain. He doesn't mind the rain, but getting sick is something different entirely. _And_ getting drenched feels like garbage when he's barely wearing _anything_ over his chest.

Stepping into the shop, he realizes immediately that it actually _is_ some sort of café. The next thing he notices is how the lights are dimmed almost entirely. It's eerily desolate, he notes, looking from table to table until his eyes stop at the display window by the counter. Dozens of fancy pastries are inside, from cakes to muffins to fresh bread. A bakery, then? He glances up at the chalkboard that hangs from the ceiling with bubbly handwriting. He’d be excited had anyone been at the counter.

Daniel spots a few framed photos hanging off the wall as he walks further inside. Every single photo is taken in a style similar to a Victorian vintage family photograph. None of the people in the photos are smiling... save for the youngest kid who seems to _only_ smile. He isn't sure who these people are—or why their family pictures are on display for customers to see—but that's none of his concern.

He wonders if maybe he should just leave this place. It's unsettling in a way where he feels like he's being watched despite the complete lack of people. Another clap of thunder makes him reject the idea completely though, so he resigns himself to a long waiting period. He might as well sit down.

Yet, as he finally makes his way towards the center of the shop to pick out his seat, he notices something that makes him stop entirely.

Black, unruly hair and broad shoulders poke out from behind a booth. Daniel instantly feels dizzy. It could be _anyone_ but—but Daniel _knows._ It _has_ to be him.

There, tucked away into a little corner, is _Mishra_. 

Daniel doesn’t even think when he moves. His feet walk over the dark floorboards, somehow making no sound at all when his heels hit the wooden ground beneath them. He stops just behind the booth—realizing that Mishra (and Garry, too, who's sitting besides him) have yet to notice his presence. He can feel his heart all the way up in his throat. There's a million things running through his mind, but nothing coherent enough that he can say.

...It takes him longer than he’d ever admit to compose himself, but when he does, he speaks before his mind can process his own words: “Funny running into you here.” He walks up in front of their table now.

Daniel's not sure what he expected when he approached them both in a nearly deserted bakery. But it certainly wasn't to see a half-dazed Mishra, with eyes glossed over as if he's about to cry.

Garry's look is just as startling, with a look of irritation until he really seems to _look_ at who's in front of them. Upon realizing, Garry gasps, gaze morphing into something more bashful.

"D-Daniel? Oh, my..." Immediately, his hands travel to his thin hair, combing it over and adjusting it as if Daniel is going to care at all about how he looks.

Daniel slides into the booth directly across from Mishra. He doesn't ask before he sits, but he doesn't need to, with the way Garry looks at him in plain adoration.

"Heyaaa." The grin on his face is friendly and inviting. “You two at the festival today?” He asks, as if he hadn’t spent nearly an hour searching for Mishra.

Mishra goes back to looking down the second Daniel slides in front of him. He has an expression that Daniel can't fully read. On the _other_ hand, Garry looks _ecstatic_ when Daniel slides into the booth across from them.

But at the mention of the festival, his face turns a little grim. “Aw, well, you see...” He throws an arm over Mishra’s shoulders. Daniel feels his stomach churn again.

“Aadav—“ oh, right, _Aadav, “—_ here forced us to take our leave early.” Almost as if on cue, a clap of thunder shakes the entire building. Daniel would've jumped, had he not been so intensely focused on Mishra's face.

Mishra is still. If Daniel didn't know any better, he would have thought Mishra wasn't _breathing_. His stomach feels even more upset.

"...Aw, really? Why's that?" Daniel asks after a brief pause. He notes the way Mishra's eyes look when Daniel asks the question. The arm around Mishra's neck twitches, but Garry's still smiling.

"Why don't you answer this one, Aadav?" Garry nudges Mishra with his arm. Daniel feels a chill run down his spine at his dulcet tone.

When Daniel looks at Mishra, he's hoping for some kind of reaction for Daniel to pick up on, but Mishra's face is painfully still. "It was too loud." He finally says after a beat of silence. His voice is flat; monotonous.

The words don't register fully in his head. Loud—was it loud? Well, yeah, but isn't that the point of festivals? The first night they spoke flashes into his head. Mishra _did_ seem uneasy at his surroundings. It's not hard for Daniel to see Mishra being afraid of larger crowds. He looks to Garry for further clarification when Mishra does not say anything more.

"Yes. That's all. Aadav got too frightened and we unfortunately missed the second half of your performance." Garry's voice is casual and light, but Daniel feels like something's _wrong._ It makes him feel as though he has to deescalate a situation he’s not sure even needs it.

"Naw, that's alright, ain't it? I said it last time, you'll just have to come down to more of our shows." He grins through his discomfort, cheek resting on the palm of his hand. He’s waiting for some sort of giddy reply, but he’s surprised at the reaction he receives now.

At the bar, it had made Garry bristle with joy, but Garry looks _crestfallen_ now. "We weren't able to make it to previous shows together. You see, we live in L.A.—“

Daniel interjects before Garry goes on. "Y'all live down here?"

He hadn't even thought about that—but that would explain why they were at that bar last time in downtown L.A., as well as why Garry had only shown up alone previously. It was hard to ever get notice of upcoming shows when most of their gigs were local. Damn.

Garry continues, gesturing to the area around them with his free hand. "Yes! In fact, this café belongs to an old friend of mine.

"Hence why it is empty right now. He allowed us a quiet place for Aadav to rest in." Daniel ‘ooo’s’, suddenly feeling a lot less perturbed by the bakery and it’s lack of people.

"In fact,” he trails off, staring at Daniel with curious eyes, “the sign read "closed", did you not see?" Garry points to the front door with his thumb. Uh.

Shit. Daniel in fact did not see. He shakes his head, smiling sheepishly. "Naw. Didn't wanna get wet and risk a cold, so I jumped into the nearest building I saw." Just as quickly as the sheepish feeling comes, it dissipates. Maybe he should have read the sign, but that wouldn't have led him to Mishra, now would it?

"Ah, then it was _fate_ that brought us together!" Daniel looks puzzled at Garry's words, but Garry is confident. There's a sway in what he says. For a second, Daniel almost believes him.

"...Just like it was fate that brought Aadav and I together." He pauses suddenly, as if realizing his own words, before he brings both of his hands to his face now. "O-Oh my, oh my. How inappropriate of me. F-Forgive me!" He squeaks out like a lovestruck schoolgirl.

Daniel's patience in his stomach is being tested, because this somehow _didn't_ make him vomit. He waves a hand casually though.

"Don't sweat it. Thas a cute way of lookin' at it." He says, leaning against the table, now trying to reel in the conversation. "But, yeah, huh. 'S probs hard to stop by espesh when our social media is so inactive." 

Right. They were looking to change that, weren't they? Why hadn’t the others already figured it out? It had been months since they previously talked about it. Oh well. 

Daniel sighs, his head now racking for any ideas as Garry nods solemnly in agreement at Daniel’s words. ...Oh. Oh, shit, _wait._ He sits up straight when something comes to mind. "If ya got significant notice before our shows, you think you could come down more?"

Garry looks a little startled by Daniel's eagerness. He looks to the ceiling, then to Mishra, then back to Daniel. Finally, he curtly nods. "Yes, I believe we would have an easier time if we knew in advanced." Daniel's eyes light up. _Perfect._

"Then, how about we change that?" Garry looks confused, and Daniel pulls out his phone before he can even think twice.

Unlocking his phone, he can already _hear_ Jacob's nagging voice when he finds out he gave his number to a fan. He’s just doing a good deed, so he doesn’t see the issue, really. He slides his phone across the table. Garry looks at him incredulously. Daniel steals a glance at Mishra to find that Mishra’s eyes are also on his phone. _Bingo_.

It's too late for second thoughts. Not that Daniel really has any in the first place. "Type in your number."

Garry looks down at the phone, then at Daniel. "D-Daniel? W-What is the... meaning of this... surely you cannot be serious...!"

Oh, Daniel is _plenty_ serious here. Though he's finding it increasingly difficult to listen to Garry's high-pitched squeals. Why does he even _talk_ like that? He talks as if he’s from the 1800’s. It's 2017, sheesh.

"You said ya kept missin' our shows right? I'll just text ya myself so you've got plenty of notice."

"Oh, Daniel, you must—you mustn't!" Garry is shaking his head, hand on his heart as he almost _pleads_ for Daniel to stop what he's doing. Daniel's slowly growing frustrated. Why isn't he just accepting it? Shouldn't he be happier about it? He's his fan, isn't he?

He shrugs. "If ya leak my number, I'll just get a new one. No biggie." Quite frankly, he's not sure _what_ this guy could do with it. Either way, Daniel doesn't really care.

After several seconds of silence, Garry finally looks onboard. He grabs Daniel's phone carefully with his two hands. "O-Oh, goodness, thank you! Daniel you truly... are a saint...!" He's holding onto his phone as if it were some sort of porcelain doll. Daniel turns to look at Mishra while Garry inputs his number.

"Don't think I forgot about you, big guy." Daniel smiles at him. Maybe with his number, Daniel could just _talk_ to him normally without this fucking guy here. He doesn't really want Garry's phone number, but if it gets him Mishra's, then...

"You mind typing in your number as well?" He points to his phone with his chin. Mishra blinks in surprise, but before he can open his mouth, Garry speaks for him.

"Oh, that won't be necessary."

...Uh? Daniel looks back towards Garry. The pit in his stomach grows. _'That won't be necessary'_? Daniel isn't sure how to ask what the _hell_ he means, but it seems he doesn't have to.

"You see, Aadav doesn't have a phone. He's not very good with technology." Garry explains, still typing into the phone. His voice is so carefully flat that Daniel almost even _prefers_ when he's talking like a schoolgirl. Mishra _doesn't_ have a phone? That was strange. If it were an issue with money, yeah, he might understand but... not good with technology?

Daniel's mouth feels dry. Even without a phone, why didn't Garry let _Mishra_ tell him that? Garry slides the phone back at him. Daniel doesn't even want to touch it now, so he lets it sit face up as the screen auto locks.

Daniel feels his patience running thin. He doesn't want to think bad of any fan, but this guy is on a whole new level of weird. He just wants to talk to Mishra alone already. What can Daniel do to get him out of the picture for even a _second?_ He looks around briefly when it hits him suddenly.

"Hey, Garry..." Daniel starts, locking eyes with Garry. Garry's eyes are gleaming.

"Yes, Daniel? What is it?"

"I know this place is closed," Daniel puts on a pleading face, "but is there any chance your friend is still around? I could go for a non-fat frappuccino with extra whipped cream and chocolate sauce. And like a chocolate croissant or somethin'."

Daniel doesn't even know half the words that came out of his mouth. Nor does he even want to _think_ about eating right now. It's taking everything in him to not go run to the bathroom to shit out his insides. Man, he doesn't even _like_ chocolate that much, but maybe Jacob will want it when he gets back. He watches Garry carefully and hopes that Garry takes the bait.

Luckily for him, Garry is on his feet immediately. "Oh, he _must_ be. Aadav, be a dear and keep Daniel company. I'll be right back."

When Garry enters the backroom, and the door closes with a soft _click!,_ the room becomes entirely silent. It's almost comforting to Daniel, somehow. He doesn't want to waste any time however, so he scoots further along in his seat until he's finally face to face with Mishra. Something rises in his chest. Excitement and anticipation engulf him as he tries to figure out what he wants to say to break the ice.

...Nothing is coming to mind, though. Everything that Daniel had been thinking about since he saw Mishra almost four hours ago has left his head. He really focuses on Mishra's face. Mishra looks barely present. His previously glossed over eyes now looking unnaturally vacant. Mishra isn't even _looking_ at him. Daniel's heart twists as he lays his head on the palm of his hand again.

"...You doin' okay?" He asks Mishra, surprising himself when the words leave his mouth. He clamps his mouth shut as discomfort begins to fill his lungs.

Mishra slowly lifts his head up at the sound of Daniel's softer than usual tone. His eyes stare into Daniel's hazily, almost as if he's not present at all. Daniel studies his face while Mishra does the same with his. Despite the dim lighting, Daniel's now realizing Mishra's face is coated in freckles. He spends some time admiring them as he waits for Mishra's answer. The freckles compliment his face nicely, Daniel muses. He wonders if it's just his face covered in freckles.

When it becomes obvious that Mishra isn't going to speak, Daniel chews on the inside of his cheek as he wonders where to go from this point forward. Everything was _wrong_. Daniel isn't good with comforting words, nor does he want to be the one to provide them, but something about Mishra’s vacant gaze makes him continue speaking.

"My brother gets super fucked durin' loud events too. Ya don't gotta feel bad cause you needed to step away." His younger brother always strayed away from larger crowds. Maybe Mishra was like that? Daniel doesn't doubt it just from looking him over.

It takes a longer time to process these set of words, but Mishra _does_ seem to react, even if it's only slightly. His mouth opens... then closes shortly after. It takes him a while before he can get anything out of his mouth.

"I'm sorry."

Daniel instantly frowns and shakes his head. "Naw, you don't got anythin' to say sorry for. I'm not upset or anythin', so." He replies earnestly, put off when Mishra reacts to that with a small grimace.

Daniel is becoming increasingly aware of the heavy air in the room. It's nearly suffocating _him_. Even though Garry's gone now, his presence still lingers in the room, leaving behind a wave of uneasiness. Daniel will give him that, at least. His presence is unlike anything Daniel has ever encountered.

Daniel focuses intently on the rain outside the café. Slowly, the rain seems to be lifting. He sits in an uncomfortable silence with Mishra before a topic of conversation comes to mind.

"Oh." He perks up. Mishra glances over very briefly before he goes back to staring down the table. "What kinda stuff do you do?"

...Huh. Mishra must have not expected that, because he looks to Daniel as if Daniel's said something crazy. He doesn't close himself off though. He looks unsure instead, his head tilting to the side slightly.

“I, um.” Mishra fidgets in his chair. Daniel feels instantly more elated when Mishra at least _tries_ to answer.

“Do you like books or shows orrrr...?” He presses curiously. Mishra begins looking more flustered the more Daniel talks. It reminds Daniel more of how he was when they first met; the charm Mishra had on him that very first night.

Mishra inhales very quietly. He seems to internally debate his answer before he comes out and says it.

“I... like to read.” He seems unsure of his own answer, but Daniel feels some of the weight in his chest lift when Mishra speaks. He sinks further into the palm of his hand.

“Yeah? What kinda stuff do you like to read? I can’t fuckin’ read cause I’m dumb as hell, but.” He says lightheartedly. At least Mishra looks a little amused, as his eyes slowly shine over with a hint of amusement.

"Nonfiction..." Mishra shakily replies with, "Um. I enjoy textbooks and... and encyclopedias."

Daniel stares up at him in plain _adoration_. It's a ridiculously nerdy interest, but Daniel is enthralled. He's almost surprised he managed to get such a long sentence out of him.

"Anythin' you like to read in particular?" He asks, feeling all the tension in his body meltaway now that he's _really_ getting Mishra to talk. He'd almost forgotten the reason he's been putting up with the Shakespearean monologues from a creepy white dude until Mishra started talking to him privately.

Mishra looks plain confused that Daniel is _still_ asking, but he doesn't turn him away. Daniel can see his hands fidgeting from underneath the table.

“S-Science. Biology.” He stutters out. Daniel notes the small lisp in his voice as he nods attentively. Science nerd, huh? He probably could have guessed just from looking at him.

“Suits you. That’s real cute.” Daniel smiles, knowing exactly how Mishra will react to such a comment. “Do ya listen to any music?”

Sure enough, Mishra looks way too flustered to get a single word out. He's looking away from Daniel entirely. Daniel feels incredibly accomplished as his smile grows.

“S-Sometimes.”

Oh, huh. Daniel wasn't really expecting a positive answer, but it excites him. His eyes glisten in curiosity. Mishra likes music? Daniel can work with that. There's not a single type of genre he dislikes, after all.

“What do ya like?” Daniel sits up further in his seat, arms now crossed on the table in front of him.

“M...Mm.” Mishra looks hesitant; even more so than before. Was there something wrong about asking? Maybe he wasn't as into music or didn't know any bands.

“It’s okay, I won’t be offended if ya don’t like my music.” He says lightheartedly, knowing he doesn't mean it at all. “...Well. Maybe a bit.” 

Mishra looks almost panicked at Daniel's words. Startling Daniel, he starts to speak all at once. "I, um, I enjoyyourmusic—" Daniel needs a second to process the gibberish that comes out of Mishra's mouth. Mishra seems to realize how incoherent his words were, because he shrinks into his seat.

Daniel feels his heart dance in joy when he _does_ process what Mishra just said. He likes his music? “Do you? I’m glad..." ...Oh. Daniel frowns, brows furrowing at the tone he lets slip out. He clears his throat.

"Anythin' else tho?"

Mishra's eyes dart around the café before he finally settles on a small mark on the table. "Um."

"What's up?" Daniel asks, noting the way Mishra is struggling to get his words out there. His head rests atop his crossed arms.

“I... like musicals.” 

Huh.

What?

 _Mishra_ likes _musicals_? Something about that is so jarring, it leaves Daniel thoroughly flabbergasted. "You... do?" He doesn't even try hiding the shock laced within his tone.

Mishra looks like he's going to faint on the spot or bolt out of the room, so Daniel tries to reassure him before Mishra can do either.

"Nah, 's like, really cool that you do. It's unexpected, tho, ngl." He slurs out his words all at once as he tries to wrap his head around it. Mishra looks instantly mollified, shoulders loosening up slightly.

"Mm."

"Do ya have like... a favorite one?" Daniel asks, bouncing in his seat. Surprising Daniel even _further,_ Mishra's answer comes much faster than his previous ones:

"Wicked."

Daniel's mouth hangs open before he starts _beaming_ with excitement at the new knowledge. "Wicked! That's great taste. It suits you." Daniel can't stop himself from feeling all giddy. "I played Fiyero in my high school's adaptation. Suits me, huh?"

Daniel thinks back to that musical fondly. It was their last musical before his graduation. Daniel had been chosen to play Fiyero—the handsome, charming and carefree prince—who was caught up in a love triangle between the two main leads. Eventually, Fiyero would end up with the main character, Elphaba, the shy and intelligent witch who'd been ostracized her whole life.

Mishra's enthusiasm doesn't show through his body language like it does with Daniel, but Mishra's eyes are glinting with what Daniel assumes to be excitement. His head slowly bobs downward at Daniel's statement. It takes Daniel a moment before he realizes Mishra had agreed to Daniel fitting the role of Fiyero.

Oh. Huh. His face feels hot suddenly, so he glances away. Well, _duh,_ of course Daniel fit the role of the handsome prince. He'd heard it all throughout high school, but at Mishra's acknowledgement, his stomach twists in knots. _Man._ Did he need to shit this badly?

Something else comes to mind as he gazes at the light green wall besides him. ...Right. It'd been on his mind ever since the night at the bar. "Anyway," he glances back over to Mishra, changing the topic, "I got another question for ya."

Mishra nods slowly and patiently waits for Daniel to continue. Daniel isn't sure how to ask, so he just comes out with it.

"Your name—" Mishra's face drops, "—do ya prefer Aadav or Mishra?"

Daniel can feel the air becoming heavy again. Mishra looks uncomfortable, shifting in his seat as if he's being constricted. Daniel chews the inside of his cheek. Was it sensitive? Daniel doesn't understand why it would be. When Mishra had first given Daniel his name, Daniel hadn't felt it was done in malice. So... what was it?

"Whatever you want." Mishra murmurs faintly, still fidgeting in his chair. Daniel hums, pushing himself to lean against the booth. He shakes his head, now crossing his arms over his chest.

"Naw, what do _you_ want. I won't call ya anythin' ya don't want me to." Mishra looks awe-struck, his mouth open in shock.

"Um." Mishra pauses, blinking slowly at Daniel. Daniel sends him an encouraging smile.

"...Mishra." Mishra's voice is quieter than it's ever been. His voice is barely above a whisper. Daniel takes note of how _nervous_ he looks as he beams up at him.

"Great! It's our sexy little secret, then." He says, elbows propping him up on the table. Mishra looks bewildered by the statement, head tilting again to the opposite side. Despite this, Mishra looks much calmer than he did before. Daniel feels so much better now, even if his stomach is yelling at him to make a beeline for the bathroom.

Unfortunately, the lighthearted mood doesn't last, as the doors to the backroom open. "In-comiiing!"

Daniel feels his heart drop to his stomach. He suppresses a sigh as Garry heads over to their table. Daniel looks over at Mishra to find that Mishra is staring at Daniel instead. Mishra looks away.

Garry slides exactly what Daniel had requested earlier in front of Daniel. It smells _good_ , Daniel won't lie. Daniel stares down at it to avoid meeting Garry's wide smile.

"Apologies for the wait. Was Aadav keeping you company?"

He wishes he had taken longer, or better yet, not come back at all. "No need'ta say sorry." Daniel shoots him a cheeky smile in spite of how he feels.

"He’s been great company. Just talkin' 'bout musicals." Garry's smile drops.

"Ah, those things? How unfortunate. They are dreadfully repetitive. A child's fantasy." He sits down, hooking his arm around Mishra's.

Daniel stares at their linked arms before he turns to shrug at Garry's words. "Ya think so? They're fun as fuck. I did theatre back when I was still in high school." Briefly, Daniel wonders where his vehement hatred for musicals comes from.

Garry looks upset. "I suppose performing is different than watching. I simply do not enjoy them." He leans his head to rest on Mishra's. Daniel turns to his croissant, tearing off a piece to shove into his mouth.

"Yeah, yeah. 'S not for everyone, don't sweat it." He says, chewing his croissant slowly. His stomach's already begging for him to not consume anything else, but Daniel brought this upon himself. Oh, right. Should he pay? Eh.

"...I did enjoy one musical. Only one and _simply_ because the novel is already brilliant!" Garry speaks up. "Jekyll and Hyde. The novel is _infinitely_ better, but I will admit, there is a certain... _charm_ to it."

...Huh.

Though Daniel didn't ask, nor does he care, it _does_ take him by surprise. It's not as well known as other musicals. It was a strange one. The music was good, yeah, but it was its presentation that Daniel didn't really like too much. It's about a doctor who wants to separate the "good" and the "evil" from humans using medical science. He develops some sort of murderous alter ego as his marriage falls flat and he falls in love with a prostitute.

The type of story just wasn't something Daniel particularly cared for. Dark, depressing subjects about "good" vs "evil"... Daniel prefers shit like High School musical. Or the Spongebob musical.

Before Daniel can pipe up with his thoughts, Garry lets out a quiet 'ah'! Daniel looks up to see him gazing out the window.

"It is no longer raining. Though it pains me to leave you, Daniel, we should be heading home now. We have work very soon." Garry smiles cheerfully, rubbing small circles into the back of Mishra's hand.

Oh. Just like that? Daniel finds himself at a loss for words. They were really just going to head out. Didn’t they leave for the same reason last time?

It's almost entirely dark out now. Garry starts to stand, pulling Mishra up with him when he does.

"Aw, shit. Then I'll see y'all later?" Daniel asks, his eyes immediately going straight to Mishra's face. He doesn't even bother hiding it. Mishra isn't looking at him though; eyes focused on Garry instead.

"If fate wills it, we shall meet again." Um. Okay? Daniel doesn't respond to that. The hell does he say to that? Daniel's not sure he believes in fate or any of that. He waves at them lazily, feeling kind of defeated as he slumps further into his seat.

As Garry and Mishra turn to leave, Garry suddenly stops. "Ah, Daniel..." Daniel looks up to see Garry staring down at him. What now?

"Do be careful when eating. All that food cannot be good for you."

Daniel's brain comes to a complete halt. _What?_ Garry smiles at him as he ushers himself out of the café; out of Daniel's sight.

...Daniel wonders if each time they depart, they'll leave behind a flurry of emotions for Daniel to _drown_ in.

That creepy feeling breathing down his neck can wait, though. Daniel pushes himself up and _finally_ heads to the bathroom.

—

"Danny, where you been? Your shit _that_ bad?"

The second Daniel enters the hotel room, he's met with three pairs of eyes by the rest of his bandmates. He lets out a large groan in response to Christian, who's sitting down on one of the hotel's stiff chairs. Jr.'s sitting across from him. They're playing some sort of card game.

"It was _so_ fuckin' bad man. Makes me wonder if it's even worth it all." He kicks off his shoes, setting the frappe and the croissant down on the table next to Christian and Jr.. The croissant has been partially eaten.

"You... got _more_ food?" Jacob asks from where he's seated on the couch. Daniel forces down another groan at Jacob's words now.

"They were free. Couldn't help it." Daniel grins cheekily, but it's clear he's _exhausted._ Jacob seems to notice this. Before Jacob can pull any funny business though, Daniel grabs the croissant to wave it in his face.

"Ya want it? It's chocolate."

Christian snorts. "You don't even _like_ chocolate."

"No, but Jacob does, so." He waves it again, then points to the frappe. "It's got chocolate sauce btw."

Jacob frowns at him. Daniel _knows_ Jacob knows that something's off. He is _not_ about to have a talk about any of what just happened, though.

Luckily for him, Christian interrupts the silent stare down Jacob and Daniel had been engaging in.

"J likes _chocolate?_ "

Jacob immediately sighs, snatching the croissant away from Daniel's hands. "Yeah. I do."

"Since _when_?"

Jacob looks angry. Daniel sees his escape immediately as he turns around to head to the bedrooms attached to the living room.

"Well, maybe if you paid attention for half a _fucking_ second, you'd—" Daniel slams the door, effectively closing himself off from what would be another pointless argument between the two.

Ridding himself of his constricting clothes, he flops over onto one of the two beds, sinking into the slightly uncomfortable comforters. He lets out a sigh as he stares up at the ceiling. Was any of what had happened even worth it when Garry was just the biggest weirdo he's ever met?

Thinking about it, well, no, probably not at all. Though Daniel _also_ knows he'll take back any regrets by the time he wakes up tomorrow. All he needs is some rest. It was a long day, but at least the festival was still open tomorrow. Daniel will have fun then.

...Oh, yeah. Before Daniel properly rests his eyes, he pulls out his phone. Garry input his number, right? He opens up his contacts app in a bit of a hazy state as he scrolls through his dozens upon dozens of contacts to find him.

...

Daniel's jaw drops open.

His name is spelled _fucking Gaeyrie?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> final word count... 7k! i was aiming for at least 3k so idk what happened... 
> 
> i had a lot of fun writing this one!! im sick of reading it over tho but i hope you enjoy mishra+daniel dynamic theyre a whole lotta fun to write
> 
> as always this is for my friends but if anyone else stumbles across follow me @stardewdrops on twt :)


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